New Haven Ballet’s mission is to demonstrate and use the power of dance to change the life of every person in the community through education, performance, physical exercise, artistic aspiration, personal development, and social interaction to the fullest of their potential.

At A Glance

Year of Incorporation1987

Organization's type of tax exempt statusPublic Supported Charity

Organization received a competitive grant from the community foundation in the past five yearsYes

Leadership

CEO/Executive Director Lisa Sanborn

Board Chair Jeremy Mellitz

Board Chair Company AffiliationWithers Bergman LLP

Financial Summary

Projected Revenue$921,500.00

Projected Expenses$900,000.00

Statements

Mission

New Haven Ballet’s mission is to demonstrate and use the power of dance to change the life of every person in the community through education, performance, physical exercise, artistic aspiration, personal development, and social interaction to the fullest of their potential.

Background

The highly acclaimed New Haven Ballet (NHB) began in the basement of St. Paul's church in the fall of 1985, under founding Artistic Director Noble Barker. Since then NHB has firmly established itself in the Greater New Haven and shoreline arts communities, with studios in New Haven and Branford, and highly trained faculty that support students aspiring to professional dance careers, as well as those studying ballet for recreational purposes. In addition, the school has become a major arts organization, playing a vital role in the community through outreach and school programs, a student performance ensemble, and collaborations with artists within the community and beyond. In recent years, despite the sluggish economy, the school’s enrollment has remained steady and even increased. The NHB’s annual The Nutcracker, performed at the historic Shubert Theater with guest stars from world-class ballet companies, has become a New Haven holiday tradition.

As the school grew under Barker and his successors, so did NHB’s goals. In addition to The Nutcracker, NHB has two other full-length ballets in its repertory–Coppélia (premiered 1994) and Snow Queen (1997–98), which was created in collaboration with composer Susan Bingham. In a 1997 coup for NHB, the George Balanchine Trust awarded the school rights to perform Donizetti Variations, an opportunity given only to schools of the highest caliber. NHB also performs annually at New Haven’s prestigious International Festival of Arts and Ideas.

In 2013, Lisa Sanborn, a distinguished teacher and dancer, was named the NHB’s Artistic Director. Under Ms. Sanborn, NHB is poised to continue the legacy begun over 30 years ago and to meet the challenges that come with success: presenting one of the finest regional The Nutcracker productions with full orchestra, maintaining a topnotch dance program that supports students at all levels, and continuing to develop community ties within Greater New Haven and southern Connecticut. Ms. Sanborn and NHB have a strong commitment to ensuring that the joy of dance reaches everyone in the community.

From its inception, NHB has sponsored outreach and education programs, including a dance residency program for students in inner-city elementary schools; Shared Ability, which brings dance and performance opportunities to differently-abled students; school demonstrations and performances at assisted living and senior centers; and needs-based scholarships.

Impact

The New Haven Ballet (NHB) ended 2015
by offering a full-length performance of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker at
the historic Shubert Theater in downtown New Haven. An annual holiday
tradition, The Nutcracker featured over 200 NHB students of all levels
and guest artists from the Miami City Ballet. This latest performance of The
Nutcracker featured, thanks to the generosity of donors, new Act I sets and
costumes and was the most fiscally successful in NHB’s history of performing. Extending
the magic of the season, a special matinee performance was provided to area
school children and was seen by 946 area students.

Other major accomplishments of the 2015-2016 were:

· The opening of a new facility with two state of the art dance studios in Branford, CT;

· The commissioning of a new ballet choreographed by retired New York City Ballet dancer Tom Gold. This new ballet successfully premiered at the Shubert Theater on May 21st as part of NHB’s Spring 2016 performance.

· The awarding of 8 scholarships to underserved New Haven Public School children through NHB’s DanceAIR outreach program.

The New Haven Ballet School provides
the highest caliber classical ballet training and dance education to over 400
students in our Children’s Division (ages 3-7), Student Open Division
(ages 8 – 19) and Adult Drop-in Classes (age 12+). Through our DanceAIR program
we provide the same training curriculum to underserved students in 4 New
Haven public schools, who are also eligible for scholarships and financial aid
for additional training at the NHB School. NHB hosts the acclaimed Shared
Ability dance program for disabled children NHB is committed to helping
students reach their full potential whether they plan a professional career in
dance or dance recreationally. The life skills acquired by students can take
them far beyond the studio and stage and help them succeed in every area of
life.

Needs

The DanceAIR outreach program benefits school children from low-income areas. It targets health, artistic and social well-being through 6 weeks of classical dance training and assemblies on healthy food choices. Funding is from grants and donations.

The Nutcracker costumes and sets for Acts 2 and 3 require refurbishment. Funding for commercial quality costumes and sets comes entirely from donations as ticket sales, sponsorships and program advertising are used for production expenses.

NHB would like to stage a full-length production in the spring, such as Serenade or A Midsummer's Night Dream, to greatly enhance the artistic offerings in New Haven. Production budgets run in excess of $250,000. Some funding comes from ticket sales and the balance from donations and sponsorships.

Scholarship requests for talented students, including DanceAIR students, have been on the rise for the last three years and this trend is expected to continue. Annual scholarships are in excess of $81,000 and funds come from a combination of NHB School revenue and donations.

NHB would like to consolidate its multiple New Haven studios and offices into a single dedicated facility.

NHB's music budget exceeds $50,000 per year, which includes funding for a live orchestra for The Nutcracker.

CEO Statement

"New Haven Ballet (NHB), a non profit 501c3 community-based ballet organization, is the preeminent classical ballet school in the greater New Haven area. NHB offers classes to the New Haven community in ballet as well as other genres, is home to a student performance company, and offers a unique outreach program (DanceAIR), which brings arts education and performance opportunities to underserved inner city youth. NHB also encourages relationships with other local arts based groups and organizations to further enrich arts opportunities and experiences for the greater New Haven community."

- Lisa Sanborn, Artistic Director

Board Chair Statement

"I am the President of the NHB Board of Directors and have been a Board member for over 10 years. I serve NHB with both pride and humility. When I was introduced to NHB over a decade ago, I quickly discovered a transformative world. The beauty, power and joy of ballet is not just in the ultimate performance (which itself involves both individual and group achievement). It is also manifest in the process of learning and building skills. In fact, ballet at NHB teaches and reinforces fundamental life lessons that go beyond dance: self-motivation; persistence; self-respect; respect for others; personal pride; collaboration; esprit de corps; how to build layers of skill; growth through discipline; earned rewards; and so much more. It is thus more the process than the performance that is so transformative for the NHB student. To that end, on a personal note my daughters have danced at NHB for almost a decade, since around the age of four. They love it and are the better for it.

NHB is a richly textured success story. Beyond its enrollees, NHB is deeply committed to community outreach programs. Via its innovative DanceAir, NHB sends its regular ballet faculty into New Haven's public schools to bring ballet instruction to underserved children. It has been eagerly embraced by the public school students (some now dance at NHB on full scholarships) and by school and city officials. There is a thirst for what NHB has brought to the public schools.

In like fashion, NHB's Shared Ability is a powerful initiative bringing differently abled individuals---with profound physical, neurological or other issues--- and pairing them with NHB's advanced students to explore movement and dance together. Their weekly time together is deeply moving for the participants, and at their joint year end performance, for the audience, as well. And then there is The Nutcracker, now a near sell-out holiday tradition at the historic Shubert Theater every December.

But success has its issues. NHB's continued growth has stretched its resources. Enrollment is strong, but not having enough studios has created waiting lists. DanceAir and Shared Ability depend on private donations; the schools do not fund them. Performance costumes are needed; as enrollments increase, NHB's "full participation" ethos translates to higher overhead. And yet NHB still gives need--based scholarships. It’s the right thing to do. NHB's response: tightly control costs, seek out grants/donations and hold periodic fundraisers. With continued mindfulness, the future looks bright."

- Jeremy Mellitz, NHB Board President

"As a member of the NHB community for 27 years, as adult student, family-Board liaison, and two-time Board member, I have always loved seeing the way dance enriches lives: students learn not only about dance, but about music, creativity, time management, the joys of artistic collaboration, and the discipline necessary to achieve important goals. NHB has always tried to serve the community through our educational and differently-abled outreach programs. Our biggest challenge--and greatest joy--is finding a way to embrace a diverse community without compromising our artistic standards. We have seen this goal fulfilled in the new audiences we bring annually to our The Nutcracker and other performances, and in the successful careers of our students, both within and outside the dance world."

The New Haven Ballet (NHB) company performs numerous times a year throughout
Southern Connecticut. Most notable
is the Ballet’s annual holiday rendition of The Nutcracker at the historic Shubert
Theater. The company, which consists of pre-professional dancers from the NHB School, performs with professional guest artists of national and international stature. The NHB Company has performed and collaborated with the Chancel Opera
Company, Connecticut Ballet Theatre, the Hartford Ballet, the Moscow
State Ballet, the New Haven Symphony, the Nutmeg Ballet, the Omaha
Ballet, Orchestra New England, the Pittsburgh Ballet, Yale Repertory
Theatre, and more.

The company recently collaborated with Wallingford Symphony Orchestra at the Paul Mellon Arts Center. They are also performed at Arts on the Edge and multiple other spring performances at the Shubert Theater and the Performing Arts Center at the Co-op High School of the Arts and Humanities.

Through NHB’s Shared Ability program, youth with physical and mental disabilities participate with NHB intermediate and advanced students in a series of dance workshops led by inclusive dance expert Brad Roth. Together, the group creates a dance piece to perform on stage. During 2016, they will perform as part of the NHB Spring Performance at the Shubert Theater.

Youth with physical and mental disabilities share their accomplishments and interest in dance as they perform before family, friends and the community. Community members see the talents of people with disabilities. Shared Ability also encourages the education of emerging artists. NHB student dancers share their skills and understanding of dance with youth with disabilities; they explore new ways of moving, and they learn about the process of choreographing and rehearsing a dance piece.

NHB's Shared Ability program is helping a broader population of our community to experience the joy of dance. The program reaches teens and young adults with autism or autism spectrum disorder, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other disorders. Without Shared Ability, these youth would have very limited opportunities to receive dance training, collaborate with other dancers and choreographers, and perform on stage.

An audience member said, “Thank you to the dancers in the shared ability program for enriching all of our lives. Your piece was exquisite. What a beautiful way to open the show. Thank you and congratulations to each and every one of you!”

NHB’s DanceAIR program makes the finest classical ballet training accessible to underserved urban youth attending public elementary schools in New Haven. Designed to make a significant impact on children’s social, artistic, fitness, and academic development, DanceAIR offers twice weekly in-school classical ballet instruction, culminating in a community performance with pre-professional and professional dancers, reaching 1,200 people. Students learn dance technique and choreography, as well as caring for their bodies through healthy choices. The program brings the joy of dance and performance to children who might not otherwise have this opportunity.

Adult Open Division Classes are available for adults and teens 12 years and older, with and without previous ballet, modern or pilates experience. These classes are offered at each of our studios on a drop-in basis with no pre-registration required.

DescriptionThe New Haven Ballet (NHB) School provides the finest classical ballet training and dance education in southern Connecticut to over 400 students in its Children’s Division (ages 3-7) and Student Open Division (ages 8-19). Also offered is training in modern, jazz, tap, musical theater, Pilates and choreography. Intermediate and advanced students have an opportunity to enhance their training with additional performances, exposure to guest choreographers and teachers, and participation in choreographing dance pieces.

Dance has a special place in the development of children
because it stimulates the mind while challenging and engaging the whole body.
Through NHB’s programs, students develop a respect for and appreciation of
dance and movement. They develop dance skills, express themselves creatively,
and interact with other student dancers and professional artists.

Students gain skills that will help them in
whatever they pursue – the desire for excellence, a willingness to accept
criticism, the ability to work within a team, and the feeling of being part of
the success of a performance or program. Families and friends of the students
also benefit as they take pride in their child’s growth as a dancer and share
in their interest and accomplishments.

Effectiveness is measured through the number of students enrolled, the number and percentage of students
progressing to higher levels in the School, observation by the Artistic
Director and faculty, and feedback from students and parents.

New Haven Ballet students have gone on to train at other professional
schools including the School of American Ballet, The Rock School, Boston Ballet
School, and the School at American Ballet Theatre. New Haven Ballet School
alumni include Jeremy Cox, now a principal dancer at Miami City Ballet.

CEO/Executive Director

Lisa Sanborn

Term StartAug 2001

Emailartisticdirector@newhavenballet.org

Experience

Lisa Sanborn began her dance training in New Jersey at the Princeton Ballet School. After moving to Illinois, Ms. Sanborn trained at the Ruth Page Foundation in Chicago with Larry Long, Dolores Lipinski, and Warren Conover. She later studied with many other notable teachers, including Elisabeth Carroll and Felix Smith.

Ms. Sanborn danced as a member of the Clinton Contemporary Ballet and Quad Cities Civic Ballet companies in Iowa, performed for several years in the Chicago Tribune Charities production of The Nutcracker at the Arie Crown Theater, and appeared with the Royal Danish Ballet at the Auditorium Theater in Napoli, a ballet created by famed choreographer and ballet master August Bournonville.

In addition to the Snow Queen and several soloist roles in New Haven Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker at the historic Shubert Theater, Ms. Sanborn also performed in corps and solo variations from ballets such as La Bayadère, Pas de Quatres, Swan Lake, Giselle, Paquita, and Les Patineurs, as well as neoclassical and contemporary/lyrical works choreographed by Phillip Otto and Bronwen MacArthur.

Prior to her appointment as Artistic Director at New Haven Ballet in April 2014, Ms. Sanborn, who was brought to NHB by former artistic director Phillip Otto in 2001, acted as NHB’s Interim Artistic Director (2013-2014), was a distinguished teacher at the Ballet, and during her tenure taught ballet technique, variations, and pointe to both children and adults. She also choreographed and staged several works for NHB. Her students have pursued professional careers in dance and been accepted into many elite summer programs, including School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the Rock School (Pennsylvania Ballet), Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Joffrey Ballet, Boston Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and the Nutmeg Conservatory.

In addition to ballet, Ms. Sanborn taught Pilates at Sarah Aldrich Pilates in New Haven. She gained exposure to traditional mat Pilates during her time as a ballet dancer and teacher, and is classically trained and certified in mat and all apparatus.

Ms. Sanborn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Skidmore College, where she minored in dance. She received a Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School of Union University and served as corporate counsel for the Southern Connecticut Gas Company and Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation until the birth of her son in 2009. In 2015, Yale University appointed Ms. Sanborn an Associate Fellow of Pierson College. Ms. Sanborn is also a member of the Arts Industry Coalition and serves on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Dance Alliance.

New Haven Ballet collaborates on an outreach basis with the New Haven Public School system, Yale University, area arts organizations and artists, Yale New Haven Hospital and area Senior Assisted Living facilities, and many other organizations where dance is a unique and useful medium for touching the greater community in a meaningful way.

Most recently, through its DanceAIR program, the NHB worked with the following New Haven schools: Fair Haven School, Christopher Columbus Family Academy, J. S. Martinez School and Davis Elementary School.

Supporting The Nutcracker performance were an orchestra composed of a conductor and musicians from the Yale Graduate School of Music. Also, contributing to the performance were singers from the ECA arts high school.

Foundation Staff CommentsThis profile has been read by Foundation staff and the organization has completed the fields required by The Community Foundation and updated their profile in the last year. To see if the organization has received a competitive grant from The Foundation in the last five years then please go to the General Information Tab of the profile.Financial information is inputted by Foundation staff directly from the organization’s IRS Form 990, audited financial statements or other financial documents approved by the nonprofit’s board. The Foundation has not audited the organization’s financial statements or tax filings, and makes no representations or warranties thereon.

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